The federal agency charged with securing local ports of entry said a local official erred in a television interview that suggested dangerous weapons of mass destruction had been found in San Diego.

The official, Customs and Border Protection Assistant Port Director Al Hallor, did not give a clear answer about whether “weapons of mass effect” had been found in San Diego when asked that for a story broadcast by KGTV-10.

The report by the station, which is the media partner of The San Diego Union-Tribune, created a stir on blogs and cable talk shows nationally. In a statement, the agency flatly said that Hallor “made statements that were simply inaccurate.”

The agency categorically denied any such weapons had been found.

“CBP has not encountered any weapons of mass effect at or between ports of entry anywhere in the United States. Furthermore, at this time, CBP does not have any credible information on terrorist groups operating along the Southwest border.”

Hallor is the agency official who oversees the San Diego port, and not ports of entry at Otay Mesa or San Ysidro. In the report, he was asked if any weapons of mass effect had been found. Hallor hesitated and replied, “Not at this location.”

“But they have found them,” said the reporter, Mitch Blacher.

“Yes,” Hallor answered, then stammered, “Well...” before a public affairs officer intervened off camera.

When the reporter pressed again if weapons had been found in San Diego, Hallor paused and replied, “I would say at the Port of San Diego, we have not.”

For the television report, the agency initially issued a statement that denied any nuclear weapons had been found. According to the agency, that’s the question the television station asked.

However, because the original statement only addressed nuclear weapons — not threats like biological or chemical weapons — some commentators suggested it might have been a purposely narrow answer.

The second statement issued by the agency was more comprehensive in denying any mass destruction weapons had been found.